In a gesture of friendship and cultural cooperation, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa recently made a donation to the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha during his visit.
The donation highlights the enduring diplomatic relations and shared values between China and South Africa, especially in honouring the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela. This event also provided local learners with a unique opportunity to engage in educational and cultural exchange activities, fostering international understanding and greater appreciation of global heritage.
Ambassador Wu Peng expressed his privilege in visiting Mthatha, noting that he wished to pay his respects to Nelson Mandela. He explained that in China, many people, even those who may never have the chance to visit South Africa, greatly admire Mandela.
“Today, as the Chinese Ambassador, I wish to show my respect to him and contribute to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to support student-focused programmes. We now have 200 Chinese businesses operating in South Africa. Recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited China, and we had constructive discussions with him. My role as Ambassador is to work tirelessly to promote our economic and cultural ties,” said Peng.
Ndileka Mandela, the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, welcomed the donation from China, which included a picture of Mandela and R200,000 to support the museum’s activities.
“I visited China intending to tour the provinces and see how I can assist not only the museum but also the Thembekile Mandela Foundation, my foundation. The Ambassador mentioned their donation under the ‘A Million School Shoes Campaign’ and expressed interest in visiting the museum during his visit to this area,” said Mandela.
She added that while the gift was modest, ongoing communication would determine future collaborative efforts. Mandela also noted that an exchange programme with China had been proposed, similar to an ongoing collaboration with Germany, where both South African and German students engage in learning exchanges.
“Students from Germany were here in April, and students from five universities in South Africa had the opportunity to visit Germany. We hope to establish a similar programme with China, especially in areas like technology, where their expertise can further enrich our students’ knowledge.”
Councillor Nyaniso Nelani, Mayor of King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality, acknowledged China’s successful integration of education into its development goals.
“When you examine China’s approach to education, it is closely aligned with their economic development priorities. During my visit to China, I saw how their focus on research and product development reflects their dedication to excellence in every aspect,” said Nelani.
He emphasised that Chinese universities are directly linked to industries and highlighted their impressive educational system.
Dr Siphe Potelwa, Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Museum Council, expressed gratitude for Ambassador Wu Peng’s visit.
“It is an honour to host the Ambassador, particularly as his focus aligns with the vision of Tata Nelson Mandela. His choice to prioritise secondary school learners is remarkable and not often practised by ambassadors. The donation today signifies the importance of investing in youth education,” said Potelwa.
He highlighted that targeting rural schools and fostering education in underprivileged areas offer hope and opportunity. Potelwa added that the museum aims to build more partnerships, including facilitating skills development and China-South Africa exchange programmes.
“For example, we hosted 18 German students recently as part of a scholarship exchange. With China’s expertise in technology, particularly with electric motors and digital innovations, we hope South African students can learn skills like repairing digital automotive motors and mobile devices,” he said.
Potelwa concluded by emphasising the need to prepare the youth for a digital future, bridging the gap between traditional methods and modern industrial revolutions.
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